CANBERRA ERRORS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1930, Page 2

CANBERRA ERRORS

MANY IDLE PREMISES. With the' object of co-ordinating the work of the Canberra administration, sums of money have been spent from time to time since the abolition of the Federal capital commission in the transfer of local development branches to the Works Doparment, which occupies the old Jolimont building at the civic centre, where it was installed at a cost of £15,000, says the Melbourne Age. So far the architects’ branch, the survey branch, sections of the accountants’ branch have been moved to the city. Fairly extensive alterations to the Jolimont building were necessary, and the cost was not altogether insignificant. Now more than half of the old commission offices are unoccupied, and will remain so until more public servants are transferred here. That will not be for many months, however. Other expensive Government premises lying idle at Canberra are the hotels Acton and Ainslie. The former was closed four months ago, and valuable furniture has been stacked in several rooms. The hotel Ainslie was closed over IS months ago, and has been in the charge of a. small staff. Another expenditure on which the Government has received no return is that of £50,000 for the foundations of the administrative building, laid two years ago. There is much speculation as to when the Government will proceed with the work. The general belief is that years will elapse, and so an investment of £50,000 will not even return interest. Private individuals lias also found Canberra an unprofitable field for investment. Magnificent buildings were completed at thp civic centre almost two years ago at an enormous cost. Since then almost 50 per cent, of the shops and offices have been vacant. The Manukaarcade. another large block of buildings at Griffiths, has proved a great loss to private enterprise. Alore than 50 per cent, of the offices and shops contained in that block have never’ been used. It is considered that there is little prospect of any of these shops and offices being utilised for a long time, and in the meantime huge sums of money invested by private enterprise will also not re■urii iiitaresJ;